DAVID'S COMMENT: THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF SHAKING GOING ON - #2I wasn't planning to follow up last week's update of a previously used title, but in light of events in New Zealand over the last 2 weeks has inspired me to do so. Several months ago two suspected Israeli secret service agents had been arrested and charged with attempting to illegally obtain NZ passports. I am by no way condoning the behaviour of these men or the organisation that despatched them, but from the outset, NZ prime minister, Helen Clark a professing athiest has used the case to 'get at God' by bashing Israel in the media.
Last week's high court decision finding the two Israeli men guilty led to a blistering condemnation of Israel by Helen Clark and an official severing of diplomatic relations with Israel. Many government officials and NZ citizens have commented the response was excessive. More to the point, what does God think ? In Genesis 12:3 God promises to bless those who bless Israel and the Jewish people, and He warns that He will curse those who curse Israel. Actually the original Hebrew of the second part of that verse actually says that God will curse anyone who takes Israel lightly or treat with contempt. In Romans 11, the Lord warns us not to be arrogant against Israel.
Last Friday, ust a few days after Helen Clark's arrogant verbal attack and severing of diplomatic ties, severe flooding hit the eastern Bay of Plenty area of NZ , resulting in the evacuation of thousands of people from the worst affected areas. Then on Saturday, juse minutes after Josie, Jordan & I arrived in the locality, a swarm of earthquakes began to shake much of the same Bay of Plenty area. Authorities are reporting the the loss of 2 lives over the weekend. Earthquakes continued to shake the area for several days. Was the timing of these natural events a coincidence, or where they really, as the insurance industry calls them, "Acts of God" ? Was the God of Israel showing His deep displeasure with the New Zealand government's attitude towards the "apple of His eye", keeping faithful to His warning in Genesis 12:3 ?
Over the last several years an interesting pattern has become very clear. Almost every time the US government made a move that went against God's plans for Israel, serious weather conditions, earthquakes, fires and floods followed almost immediately. This report from American Christian Bill Koenig documents just the major earthquakes that struck the USA over 60 days in 2002 ............
April 20 - Bush Terrorism Report and Middle East Radio Address - Rare 5.1 Earthquake In Northeast strikes 48 miles from President Bush's Monday Earth Day Speech Location
April 20, as President Bush's weekend radio address was about to be aired nationwide concerning the U.S. battle on terrorism and his vision of a solution for the Israeli-Palestinian situation, a rare, 5.1-magnitude earthquake was felt from Buffalo, New York, to Boston, Massachusetts, and Baltimore, Maryland. This was the largest earthquake in Northeast United States in the 75 years.
May 13, the Bush Administration reconfirms their support of a Palestinian state after a Sunday vote by Israel's Likud party to reject a Palestinian state. - A 5.0 earthquake hits San Fransisco Bay area that same evening.
June 18 - President Bush was expected to give his Middle East plan. - the US experienced a rare 5.0 earthquake in the Mid West, which was felt in the Southern U.S.
Of course no one can say 100% that the floods and earthquakes in NZ over the last few days were God responding to the government's over aggressive attitude towards Israel, but the evidence seems to be stacking up. Lets pray for an immediate turn around in the NZ government's attitude towards Israel and a softening of their strongly pro Palestinian policies.
May the Lord Bless and keep you as you prayerfully stand in defense of Israel and the Jewish peoples' right to exist, and to dwell in safety and to prosper in ALL of the land that God promised to Abraham. Please remember to pray for Stefan and all of the soldiers in the IDF
Shabbat Shalom - David & Josie ..............THIS WEEKS NEWS SELECTION